nagement of the affair in hand. We should do him wrong by
supposing that he wished to deceive the King. Gondomar rather belonged
to the party who looked for the welfare of the Spanish monarchy in the
maintenance of peace, especially with England. The scheme of the
marriage was part of the system of powerful alliances by which it was
sought to prop the greatness of Spain. Even the uncertain rumour of
this scheme, which was instantly propagated, sufficed to agitate the
Protestant party in Europe and in England itself. The King declared
that he moved only with leaden foot towards the proposal which had
been made to him; and that, if it were seen that the alliance was
dangerous to religion or to existing agreements, it should never take
effect. But even the Secretary of State, Ralph Winwood, who repeated
this declaration, disapproved of the scheme, as did also the whole
school of Robert Cecil. They had wished to marry the Prince to the
daughter of a German line, perhaps to a Brandenburg princess; and the
States General offered their money and their services in order to win
the consent of any such princess, and to convey her to England. Many
would have preferred even a domestic alliance after the old fashion.
Opposition was also offered on the part of the Church of England.
Archbishop Abbot only delayed to urge it until the conditions of the
marriage should come under discussion. But the King likewise had the
approval of influential voices on his side. It was considered possible
to conclude the marriage, and yet to preserve the other alliances of
the country. People thought that England would in that case be only
the more courted by both parties, and that the peace of the world
would rest on the shoulders of the King.

[Sidenote: A.D. 1619.]

But what a contradiction was involved in the ascendancy which these
ideas obtained? The hereditary right to the crown of Bohemia, which
the estates of that country would no longer acknowledge, belonged to
the house of Spain. It was intended that the Elector Palatine should
step into its place by election; and this prince was son-in-law to the
King. After James had married his daughter to the head of the
Protestants in Germany, he conceived the thought of marrying his son
to the member of a family which had made the patronage and protection
of Catholicism its special calling. It seemed as if he was purposely
introducing into his own family the disunion which rent Europe in
twain.

Th